Swimming appliance



May 14, 1929. 4 A. F'. FIEBIGER SWIMMING APPLIANCE Filed Feb. 6, 1928 Inventor fiugusms E Fib/gew B WW Aitomey Patented May 14, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS F. FIBIGER, OF SPOKANE, WASHING-TON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-TENTH TO HARVE H. PHIPPS AND ELMEE J. EDW'ARLDS, BOTH 0F SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, AND FIVE-TENTHS TO CHARLES FIBIGER, TRUSTEE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

swiMMING APPLIANCE.

Application filed February My present invention relates to improvements in swimming appliances of the glove type fitting over the fingers and hand of the swimmer and designed to enhance the effect and power of the swimming stroke to increase the speed of the swimmer.

In carrying out my invention 1 utilize a glove having webs extending beyond the palm of the hand beneath the fingers and beyond the finger tips in a fan shape.

The fingers and web are opened for the working movement of the arms and closed for the return movement of the arms, and the web is designed to be formed as a cup to facilitate the movement of the hand and increase the power of the stroke of the swimmer.

Resilient means are provided within the web for facilitating the opening and closing movement of the fingers and web as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and claimed.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts shown in the accompanying drawing wherein it have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention in which the parts are combined and arranged according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of one of the appliances showing the back of the left hand with the swimming device carried thereby.

Fig. 52 is a side View of the device of Fig. l with the index finger of the glove in section as at line 2--2 of Fig. 1 to disclose the interior formation of the web, and showing by dotted lines the cupped formation of the device on the swimming stroke.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view at line 3- 3 of Fig. 1.

In. the preferred form of my invention as illustrated in the drawings I utilize a glove as 1 which is made of rubber or other suitable material and provided with sheaths or stalls as 2 for the thumb and 3 for the lingers. A web 4 of rubber or other suitable 6, 1928. Serial No. 252,081.

material is molded or pressed integral with the material of the glove and this web as best seen in Fig. 1 projects from the finger tips outwardly on diverging lines 5 and 6 and out beyond the linger tips the web is fashioned with a rounded edge 7. This for-ma tion of the web provides a paddle effect for the swimming stroke and the web, of course, increases the effective area available for propelling the swimmer.

To enhance the folding and unfolding movements of the web, I provide resilient reinforcing elements as 8. These elements may be resilient metal blades or fiat springs that are cast or molded in the web, one beneath each of the fingers and one beneath the thumb sheath. These blades extend beyond the finger tips and thumb tips and terminate near the outer curved edge 7 of the web. The resilient blades are parallel with the lingers and thumb and they may be flexed indicated in Fig. 2 together with the web to form the propelling cup for the swimmer.

It will be understood that both hands of the swimmer are equipped with complementary swimming appliances and when so equipped the swimmer is enabled to secure greater speed than when propelling himself with the bare hands.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A swimming appliance comprising a rubber glove having thumb and finger sheaths and a Web integral with said sheaths and projecting beyond the linger tips, and resilient metal blades embedded within the web parallel with the sheaths.

:2. A swimmingappliance comprising a rubber glove having thumb and linger sheaths, a web integral of said sheaths and projecting beyond said linger tips and fiat resilient metallic blades embedded within the web parallel with and located under said sheaths.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

AUGUSTUS F. 'FIBIGER. 

